New to Boulder Creek? The Quick-Start Guide

The short version

• Alerts first. Sign up for CruzAware, the county's emergency alert system, before you unpack a box. Add PG&E outage alerts while you're at it.
• Utilities in your name. PG&E for electricity and gas; the San Lorenzo Valley Water District for water at most in-town homes.
• Trash. Set up service with GreenWaste and confirm your street's collection day, since days vary route by route.
• Kids? Enrollment starts with a phone call to your school's registrar, not an online portal.
• Two things to keep handy: a Boulder Creek library card, and the county's 24-hour road dispatch line, 831-477-3999, saved in your phone.

Nobody hands you a manual when you move to Boulder Creek, which is a shame, because a mountain town runs on a different set of rules than wherever you came from. There's no city hall. Your water may come from a district office on the main drag, your trash day probably won't match your neighbor's across the valley, and the smartest thing you can do in your first week is sign up for an emergency alert before you've unpacked a single box.

Boulder Creek is unincorporated Santa Cruz County, so your services come from a patchwork of county departments and special districts rather than one city office. Hours and details change, so treat each link below as the last word.

Sign up for emergency alerts before you unpack

This is mountain country, and fire season, winter storms, and power outages come with the address. The county's wildfire preparedness page tells residents to register for CruzAware, the official Santa Cruz County alert system, and that's the first account to make at your new place. It takes a few minutes online, so get on CruzAware before the boxes are even open.

While you're at it, set up outage alerts from PG&E. Account holders get notified about outages at their service address automatically once their contact info is current, and you can follow any address on the outage map without an account. If PG&E calls a Public Safety Power Shutoff during high fire risk, alerts go to account holders without a separate signup.

One more number for your phone: the county's 24-hour road dispatch line, 831-477-3999, listed on the Public Works contact page. That's who you call when a tree or slide blocks a county road. If a line is down or anyone's in danger, call 911 first.

Put the utilities in your name

Electricity and gas come from PG&E. Start there if the previous owner or tenant hasn't already closed the account.

Water for most homes in town comes from the San Lorenzo Valley Water District, whose office sits right on the main drag at 13060 Highway 9. To start service, fill out the form on the district's Start/Stop Service page at least 24 business hours before you need water in your name, and expect a $20 establishment fee on your first monthly bill.

One quirk for renters: the district keeps accounts in the property owner's name, so if you're leasing, your landlord handles the water account. The office is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., and the main number, 831-338-2153, routes to an answering service for water emergencies after hours.

Not every property is on district water, and plenty of homes up here run on septic rather than sewer. If you're buying, ask directly whether the house is on district water or a well, and where the septic tank and leach field sit. Get that in writing before escrow closes, not after.

Trash, recycling, and organics

Garbage service in unincorporated Santa Cruz County, Boulder Creek included, comes from GreenWaste. Call 831-426-2711 or email SantaCruzCS@GreenWaste.com to set up carts, confirm your collection day, and ask about backyard service if your driveway is the kind of driveway this town is famous for. Collection days vary street by street, so don't assume yours matches a neighbor's across the valley.

For big cleanouts, the county runs its own disposal facilities; the Public Works page lists 831-454-2430 for landfill and recycling questions.

Enrolling kids in school

Boulder Creek sits in the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, which covers TK through 12th grade for the whole valley. Enrollment starts with a person, not a portal: the district's enrollment page says to contact your school's registrar first to set up pre-enrollment, after which you'll get online registration instructions to finish within a week.

Have these ready: proof of your child's age, immunization records, an oral health assessment for TK, kindergarten, and first grade, and proof of address, which can be a utility bill, lease, property tax receipt, or similar. For the 2026-27 year, kindergartners need to be five on or before September 1, and TK students need to turn four by that date.

The neighborhood elementary school is Boulder Creek Elementary at 400 Lomond Street, a short walk from downtown, and its site carries current 2026-27 registration information. If you have enrollment questions the registrar can't answer, the district's Student Services office is at 831-336-9678.

Get a library card

The Boulder Creek branch of Santa Cruz Public Libraries sits at 13390 West Park Avenue, a block off the highway, and it punches well above its weight after a full remodel. Current hours are Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Sunday. Free WiFi, computers, kids' programs, and a local history collection make it one of the best rainy-day rooms in the valley.

Getting to Santa Cruz without a car

Santa Cruz METRO runs Route 35, the Highway 9/Scotts Valley line, which connects Boulder Creek to Felton, Scotts Valley, and downtown Santa Cruz. Its Boulder Creek timepoints include Highway 9 at Middleton Avenue in the middle of town and stops out to the Country Club end of Big Basin Way. On weekdays there's also Route 35X, the Santa Cruz/Boulder Creek Express, which skips part of the Scotts Valley routing during commute hours. Schedules shift with service changes, so check the live pages before you build a commute around them.

Fire, sheriff, and who to actually call

Fire protection comes from the Boulder Creek Fire Protection District, with its station at 13230 Central Avenue downtown. The office line, 831-338-7222, is for non-emergency business on weekdays 8 to 5; emergencies always go through 911.

There's no Boulder Creek police department. Law enforcement is the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, which staffs a Boulder Creek Service Center at 13210 Central Avenue with a community deputy; the center's number is 831-454-7440. For things that need a deputy but not lights and sirens, the non-emergency dispatch line is 831-471-1121, per Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1.

Where to get the everyday basics

You can cover most errands without leaving town.

• Johnnie's Super Market, 13225 Highway 9: a full grocery with produce, meat, a deli, and a serious wine and spirits section. It has anchored Boulder Creek since 1938 and opens daily at 8 a.m.
• Wild Roots Market, 13159 Central Avenue: the natural-foods counterpart, open daily 9 to 9 with a deli kitchen and local produce.
• Boulder Creek Pharmacy, 13081 Central Avenue: an independent pharmacy with free delivery throughout the San Lorenzo Valley, open weekdays 9 to 6 and Saturday 10 to 4.
• Scarborough Home & Garden, 13110 Highway 9: Ace Hardware lines seven days a week, for the endless small fixes an older mountain house demands.

For more of what's open locally, browse the Boulder Creek business directory.

Your first weekend

Walk the town. The Boulder Creek Recreation and Park District runs Junction Park at Middleton and Railroad Avenues, with a small beach and river access a block from downtown, and Garrahan Park at 15555 Highway 9, with a walking track, soccer field, and play structures, open sunrise to sunset. Dogs are welcome on leash at both.

The district's downtown office at 831-338-4144 can fill you in on classes, camps, and community events, which are the fastest way to stop feeling new here. The BCL community events calendar is another good place to see what's coming up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who provides trash service in Boulder Creek?

GreenWaste handles garbage, recycling, and organics for unincorporated Santa Cruz County, including Boulder Creek. Call 831-426-2711 to set up service and confirm your street's collection day, since days vary by route.

What school district serves Boulder Creek?

San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, headquartered in Ben Lomond. Start enrollment by contacting the registrar at your child's school; Boulder Creek Elementary is the in-town elementary campus.

Is there a bus from Boulder Creek to Santa Cruz?

Yes. METRO Route 35 runs along Highway 9 through Boulder Creek to Santa Cruz, and the weekday Route 35X express makes the trip faster during commute hours. Check the live schedules on METRO's route pages before relying on a specific trip.

Who do I call when a tree comes down across the road?

For county-maintained roads, the 24-hour road dispatch line is 831-477-3999. If the tree took wires down with it, stay well away and call 911 first. Anything threatening life or property is a 911 call, full stop.

How do I sign up for emergency alerts?

Register at CruzAware, the county's official alert system, and add PG&E outage alerts through your account. Both take a few minutes, and they matter more here than almost anywhere else you've lived.

Last reviewed June 29, 2026. Boulder Creek is unincorporated Santa Cruz County, so services come from a mix of county departments and special districts; hours, fees, and phone numbers change, so treat each linked official page as the last word.

Once the essentials are handled, the Residents guide keeps utilities, permits, and county contacts in one place for when you need them again. Welcome to the valley.